Method and apparatus for a randomizer for DVD video

Abstract

A bit is provided in each Digital Video Disk memory sector header to indicate the type of information contained in the main data portion of the frame. A vector of video clips are stored on the DVD disk and the DVD drive examines the bit to determine whether to play a movie or to employ logic provided by the present invention that allows the DVD drive to determine which included video clip to play instead. The video clips may include cartoons, commercials, movie previews, etc. and the logic employed by the DVD drive allows for random or specific selections to be played at predetermined times, such as displaying a clip during the flipping process of a dual-sided DVD disk. Additionally, the method and apparatus may be applied to DVD disks to determine whether commercials are played before, after or during the movie or the movie is played commercial free.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for displaying video data in a Digital Video Disk (DVD) player, said method comprising: 
       storing a plurality of predetermined video programs including a movie on board a DVD disk;  
       defining a trigger bit in each data frame on board said DVD disk by:  
       defining a first bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is image data; and  
       defining a second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode functions;  
       upon beginning display of said DVD disk, automatically choosing one of said plurality of predetermined video programs or said movie; and  
       responsive to instructions from microcode if said second bit value detected, continuously replaying a predetermined still image or short video from DVD drive memory, wherein said instructions provide that said continuous replay is activated only during flip of the DVD disk.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically choosing one of said plurality of predetermined video programs or said movie, further comprises: 
       determining a first value, determined from the equation Rpick=RANDOM(Npick) where RANDOM is a function for picking a number and Npick is an argument for said RANDOM function;  
       seeking to track number Nzero+Rpick and playing that track, where Nzero is a first track containing one of said predetermined video programs; and  
       playing said movie upon completing playing of said track number.  
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining said second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode functions further comprises: 
       in the alternative, defining said second bit value to indicate said contents of said data frame is microcode.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
       sending said data frame to a video decoder for immediate display if said first value of said trigger bit is detected; and  
       sending said data frame to a microprocessor for processing if said second value of said trigger bit is detected.  
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein defining said second bit value to indicate said contents of said data frame, further comprises: 
       randomly picking a number in a range between zero and Ntotal−1, wherein Ntotal is a total number of tracks containing said predetermined video programs.  
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein picking said number is based on a time of day. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein picking said number is alternatively based on a time of year. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       inserting a commercial video clip immediately prior to said movie that will play each time said movie is played.  
     
     
       9. An apparatus for displaying video data in a Digital Video Disk (DVD) player, said apparatus comprising: 
       storage means for storing a plurality of predetermined video programs including a movie on board a DVD disk;  
       logic means for defining a trigger bit in each data frame on board said DVD disk by:  
       argument means for defining a first bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is image data; and  
       argument means for defining a second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode functions;  
       display means for showing said predetermined video programs;  
       logic means for automatically choosing one of said plurality of said predetermined video programs or said movie, upon beginning display of said movie; and  
       means for continuously replaying a predetermined still image or short video from DVD drive memory, wherein said instructions provide that said continuous replay is activated only during flip of the DVD disk.  
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprises: 
       logic means for determining a first value, determined from the equation Rpick=RANDOM(Npick) where RANDOM is a function for picking a number and Npick is an argument for said RANDOM function;  
       laser reading means for seeking to track number Nzero+Rpick and playing that track, where Nzero is a first track containing one of said predetermined video programs; and  
       logic means for determining the completion of playing said track number and then playing said movie.  
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein defining said second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode functions further comprises: 
       in the alternative, logic means for defining said second bit value to indicate said contents of said data frame is microcode.  
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
       transmission means for sending said data frame to a video decoder for immediate display if said first value of said trigger bit is detected; and  
       communication means for sending said data frame to a microprocessor for processing if said second value of said trigger bit is detected.  
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein logic means for defining said second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode function, further comprises: 
       means for randomly picking a number in a range between zero and Ntotal−1, where Ntotal is a total number of tracks containing said predetermined video programs.  
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein logic means for randomly picking said number in a range between zero and Ntotal−1 is based on a time of day. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein logic for randomly picking said number in a range between zero and Ntotal−1 is alternatively based on a time of year. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
       a commercial video clip immediately prior to said movie that will play each time said movie is played.  
     
     
       17. A computer program product with instructions in an instruction bearing medium for displaying video data in a Digital Video Disk (DVD) player, said computer program product comprising: 
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for storing a plurality of predetermined video programs including a movie on board a DVD disk;  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for defining a trigger bit in each data frame on board said DVD disk by:  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for defining a first bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is image data; and  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for defining a second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode functions;  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for automatically choosing one of said plurality of predetermined video programs or said movie upon beginning display of said movie; and  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for continuously replaying a predetermined still image or short video from DVD drive memory, wherein said instructions provide that said continuous replay is activated only during flip of the DVD disk.  
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein instructions for automatically choosing one of said plurality of predetermined video programs or said movie, further comprises: 
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for determining a first value, determined from the equation Rpick=RANDOM(Npick) where RANDOM is a function for picking a number and Npick is an argument for said RANDOM function;  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for seeking to track number Nzero+Rpick and playing that track, where Nzero is a first track containing one of said predetermined video programs; and  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for playing said movie upon completing playing of said track number.  
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein instructions for defining said second bit value to indicate contents of said data frame is an argument for microcode functions, further comprises: 
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for defining, in the alternative, said second bit value to indicate said contents of said data frame is microcode.  
     
     
       20. The computer program product of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for sending said data frame to a video decoder for immediate display if said first value of said trigger bit is detected; and  
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for sending said data frame to a microprocessor for processing if said second value of said trigger bit is detected.  
     
     
       21. The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein instructions within said contents of said data frame, further comprises: 
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for randomly picking a number in a range between zero and Ntotal−1, where Ntotal equals a total number of tracks containing said predetermined video programs.  
     
     
       22. The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein instructions within said instruction bearing medium for randomly picking said number is based on a time of day. 
     
     
       23. The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein instructions within said instruction bearing medium for randomly picking said number is alternatively based on a time of year. 
     
     
       24. The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
       instructions within said instruction bearing medium for inserting a commercial video clip immediately prior to said movie that will play each time said movie is played.